Is it still autumn? Is it winter yet ?

I toyed with an idea of checking out Richmond Park for quite a while. The recent weather conditions are rarely seen in the UK: clear, blue skies, below zero temperatures, frosty mornings. It was now or never for me, so I got up at 6:20 am on Saturday and took a train and District line all the way to Richmond. An hour and 40 min trek, more or less.

Every now and then I come across a place which I love (or dislike) from the first sight and I must say I really liked Richmond the moment I got off the train. If only I could live there 🙂 I wandered around a little bit admiring pretty cafes and lanes but my goal was to get to Richmond Park before the sun melted the frost. In 30 min or so I reached the gate and entered this enormous park. Again, within minutes I was in love. Majestic, old trees, vast landscapes, two ponds right in the middle and fantastic light – if only I had taken an earlier train to make the most of the beautiful sunrise. Still, I had a good couple of hours to enjoy the quiet winter scenery, mixed with some very autumnal colours. Best of both worlds!

Winter:

Autumn:

A changing season:

And, of course, the deer:

It must have been the cold, because my phone battery was nearly dead by midday. I wanted to spend a bit more time in London so on the way back from Richmond I got off at Embankment and walked along the Thames. I remembered from past visits that Tate Modern was a good place to charge a phone for free. Their terrace was open as well, so I took an opportunity to snap a pic of the well known view across the river to St Pauls Cathedral.

This was a well planned and executed day trip, and the weather could have not been nicer, despite the cold. I often find winter light much more forgiving and pleasant to work with than harsh summer sun. That said, I would happily return to Richmond because I only saw maybe a third of the park. Fingers crossed for more good conditions early next year.